BlueWallet is the mobile Bitcoin wallet that serious on-chain users reach for. Free, open-source under the MIT license, and packed with features most mobile wallets charge for or skip entirely: coin control, PSBT signing, watch-only vaults, multisig, RBF, batch transactions, payjoin, and custom Electrum server support. For on-chain Bitcoin management on iOS or Android, nothing free comes close.
One major change since 2023 deserves upfront honesty: BlueWallet shut down its hosted Lightning node (LNDHub.io). Lightning still works in the app, but only if you connect your own self-hosted LNDHub instance. That kills plug-and-play Lightning for most users. If you want easy Lightning on mobile, Phoenix Wallet is the better answer. But for on-chain Bitcoin with every advanced feature you need, BlueWallet earns its 8/10.
Quick Verdict
Best free, open-source Bitcoin wallet for iOS and Android
| Category | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| On-Chain Features | 9/10 | Coin control, PSBT, watch-only, multisig, RBF, CPFP, batch, payjoin |
| Lightning | 7/10 | Self-hosted LNDhub only. Works great with your own node, not plug-and-play |
| Privacy | 8.5/10 | Coin control, payjoin, custom Electrum, Tor support |
| Open Source | 9.5/10 | Full MIT license, entire codebase on GitHub, auditable |
| UI/Design | 9/10 | Clean, polished interface. One of the best-looking mobile Bitcoin wallets |
| Overall | 8/10 | Best free on-chain mobile wallet. Lightning needs your own node |
| Platform | iOS + Android |
| Lightning | Yes (via LNDhub, self-hosted required) |
| On-chain | Yes, full feature set |
| Self-custodial | Yes (own keys) |
| Open-source | Yes (MIT license) |
| Watch-only vaults | Yes (xpub import) |
| Payjoin support | Yes (P2EP) |
| Price | Free |
BlueWallet is a free, open-source Bitcoin wallet for iOS and Android. It launched in 2018 and quickly became the go-to recommendation for mobile Bitcoin users who wanted more than the basics. The team behind it has consistently prioritized self-custody, privacy features, and professional-grade tools in a mobile interface that actually looks good.
What separates BlueWallet from most free mobile wallets is the feature depth. Coin control, PSBT support, watch-only wallets, multisig vaults, custom Electrum server connectivity, Tor support, RBF, CPFP, batch transactions, payjoin: these are features you normally find in desktop software like Sparrow Wallet. BlueWallet puts them in your pocket, free, with a clean interface.
The Lightning situation changed in 2023. BlueWallet originally ran a hosted LNDHub node that made Lightning easy for anyone. In February 2023 they announced its shutdown, and by April 30, 2023, the service was gone. Lightning still works in the app, but only through your own self-hosted LNDHub instance. That's a significant caveat. It moved BlueWallet from "great for everyone" to "great for people running their own nodes."
For pure on-chain Bitcoin management on mobile, BlueWallet remains the best free option available in 2026. Nothing else at this price point (free) gives you coin control, PSBT, multisig, and payjoin in a polished mobile package. The Lightning situation is the one genuine weakness, and it's fixable if you run your own node.
BlueWallet's on-chain feature set is where it genuinely shines. These are not afterthoughts or half-implementations. Each feature works properly, and together they give you more control over your on-chain Bitcoin than any competing free mobile wallet.
Coin Control
Select which specific UTXOs to include in each transaction. Freeze UTXOs to prevent them from being spent accidentally. Label coins by source for better tracking. This matters for privacy: combining UTXOs from different sources creates a chain analysis trail. BlueWallet gives you full manual control. Most mobile wallets ignore this entirely.
PSBT and Hardware Wallet Signing
Create unsigned transactions (Partially Signed Bitcoin Transactions) and export them via QR code or file share to a hardware wallet for offline signing. Supported signers include Coldcard, Keystone, SeedSigner, and any PSBT-compatible device. This turns BlueWallet into a legitimate hardware wallet companion on mobile.
Watch-Only Wallets
Import an xpub (extended public key) to create a wallet that can see your addresses and balances but cannot spend. Perfect for monitoring cold storage from your phone without ever exposing private keys. Pair with hardware wallet PSBT signing for the complete workflow.
Multisig Vaults
Create m-of-n multisignature wallets directly in the app. Set up 2-of-3 or any threshold configuration. The wallet uses PSBT to coordinate signing across multiple devices. You can have one key on BlueWallet, one on a Coldcard, and one on a SeedSigner, for example.
RBF and CPFP
Replace-by-Fee lets you increase the fee on an unconfirmed outgoing transaction to speed up confirmation. CPFP (Child-Pays-For-Parent) lets you create a high-fee child transaction to pull through a stuck parent. Both are native in BlueWallet and work without technical knowledge.
Batch Transactions
Send Bitcoin to multiple addresses in a single transaction, paying only one fee instead of one per recipient. Useful if you manage payroll, run a business, or want to consolidate UTXOs efficiently without broadcasting multiple separate transactions.
Custom Electrum Server
Point BlueWallet at your own ElectrumX or Fulcrum instance instead of a third-party server. Your wallet queries go to your own node. Nobody else sees your addresses, balances, or transaction history. If you run Umbrel, myNode, or RaspiBlitz, your Electrum server is ready.
Lightning in BlueWallet runs through LNDhub, a protocol that allows multiple users to share a single LND (Lightning Network Daemon) instance. The wallet connects to an LNDhub server, and the server manages the actual Lightning channels. You get a Lightning wallet without running a full Lightning node yourself.
The problem is that BlueWallet's hosted LNDhub.io service shut down in April 2023. The default free Lightning option is gone. If you create a Lightning wallet in BlueWallet today without configuring a custom server, it will prompt you to connect your own LNDhub instance. There is no fallback third-party option anymore.
If you run your own Bitcoin node, this is actually fine. Umbrel, BTCPay Server, and most self-hosted node packages include LNDhub as an installable app. Once installed, you get a connection string (a URL) that you paste into BlueWallet. From that point, Lightning works smoothly. Payments are fast, channel management happens on your server, and you are not relying on anyone else.
The BlueWallet team is also exploring ARK protocol integration, which could bring back simple Lightning-like payments without requiring your own node. That work is early-stage and not ready for production in 2026. Keep an eye on their GitHub for progress.
Bottom line: if you want Lightning without running your own node, use Phoenix Wallet. Phoenix runs a self-custodial Lightning node on your phone automatically. BlueWallet Lightning is for node runners who want mobile access to their existing infrastructure. Both approaches have their place.
BlueWallet supports Payjoin (also called P2EP: Pay-to-EndPoint), a privacy technique that most mobile wallets have never heard of. Understanding why this matters requires a quick explanation of how chain analysis works.
Standard Bitcoin transactions follow a pattern: inputs from one party, outputs to the recipient plus change back to the sender. Chain analysis firms exploit this pattern to trace funds. They can guess which output is the payment and which is change, then follow the money across the blockchain.
Payjoin breaks this pattern by having the recipient contribute their own inputs to the transaction. A payjoin transaction has inputs from both the sender and the receiver. The result is a transaction that does not fit the standard pattern. Chain analysis tools cannot reliably identify which inputs belong to whom, or which outputs are payments versus change.
For payjoin to work, the merchant or service you are paying must also support it. BTCPay Server supports it natively. Adoption is growing but not universal. When it works, it provides meaningful privacy for both parties without any noticeable difference in the user experience. BlueWallet implementing this in a free mobile app is a genuine win for Bitcoin privacy.
BlueWallet is one of the best mobile interfaces for managing cold storage. The PSBT workflow lets you use a hardware wallet as the signing device while BlueWallet handles the interface. Here is how it works in practice with a Coldcard or Keystone:
Import your hardware wallet as watch-only
Export your xpub (extended public key) from your hardware wallet. In BlueWallet, create a new wallet and choose "Import Wallet." Paste the xpub. BlueWallet can now see your addresses and balance without having any signing keys.
Build and export the unsigned transaction
When you want to send, build the transaction in BlueWallet. Set the destination address, amount, and fee. Export the unsigned PSBT via QR code (for air-gapped devices like Keystone or SeedSigner) or file share (for Coldcard via microSD).
Sign on your hardware wallet and broadcast
Your hardware wallet displays the transaction details for you to verify. Approve and sign. Import the signed PSBT back into BlueWallet via QR code scan or file import. BlueWallet broadcasts the signed transaction to the Bitcoin network.
This workflow gives you the convenience of a mobile interface with the security of keeping signing keys offline on a dedicated hardware device. The Keystone 3 Pro pairs especially well with BlueWallet because both sides of the transaction use QR codes. No cables, no adapters, no file management. Just camera to camera.
BlueWallet takes privacy more seriously than nearly every other free mobile Bitcoin wallet. The combination of features it offers creates a layered privacy setup that would cost money in commercial alternatives.
Coin control is the foundation. By choosing which UTXOs to spend, you prevent the wallet from merging coins from different sources. A bitcoin received from an exchange and a bitcoin received from a private purchase should stay separate. Coin control keeps them that way.
Custom Electrum server connectivity means your transaction queries go to your own node, not a third-party server. Standard wallets that use public Electrum servers reveal your addresses and balances to whoever runs that server. With your own ElectrumX or Fulcrum instance, those queries stay local.
Tor support adds another layer. When BlueWallet connects through Tor, it hides your IP address from the Electrum server. Even if you use a third-party server, they cannot correlate your queries to your physical location or internet connection.
Payjoin rounds out the picture at the transaction level. No KYC, no registration, no account required. BlueWallet is a wallet that genuinely respects your privacy rather than just claiming to.
BlueWallet's multisig vault creation is one of its most underappreciated features. Most people assume multisig requires a desktop application like Sparrow or Electrum. BlueWallet builds and coordinates multisig wallets entirely on mobile, which is unusual and genuinely useful for certain setups.
A multisig vault requires M-of-N keys to sign before any transaction broadcasts. A 2-of-3 setup, for example, means two out of three keyholders must approve each spend. This eliminates single points of failure: losing one device does not mean losing access, and a thief who steals one device cannot steal your Bitcoin.
In BlueWallet, you create a multisig vault by choosing the threshold (2-of-3, 3-of-5, etc.) and then importing the xpub from each participating key. Those keys can be on BlueWallet itself, on hardware wallets, on other software wallets, or on other devices entirely. The app generates a wallet descriptor that encodes all the key information needed to reconstruct and spend from the vault.
Signing works through PSBT coordination. You build a transaction, export the unsigned PSBT, route it to each required signer in sequence, and collect signatures. Once the threshold is met, BlueWallet broadcasts the fully signed transaction. The whole process can happen with no desktop computer involved.
For a practical home multisig setup: one key on BlueWallet (mobile hot key for convenience), one key on a Coldcard (primary cold storage), one key on a SeedSigner (air-gapped backup). Store the SeedSigner key off-site. Any two of three signs. Lose any single device: recovery is straightforward. This is proper, hardware-grade security built from free and low-cost tools.
When BlueWallet connects to a third-party Electrum server, that server can see which addresses you are querying, how much Bitcoin those addresses hold, and when transactions occur. This is a significant privacy leak even if you trust the server operator. Your financial activity is visible to a third party.
Connecting BlueWallet to your own Electrum server eliminates this entirely. Your wallet queries stay local. Nobody outside your network sees your addresses or balances. This is the difference between trusting a stranger and trusting yourself.
Setting up the connection is straightforward. In BlueWallet settings, navigate to "Network" and enter your Electrum server address. If your node runs on your home network, this is your local IP plus port. If you want to access it remotely, you can expose it through Tor (your node will have an onion address for this purpose) so BlueWallet can reach your node from anywhere without opening ports.
Umbrel, myNode, RaspiBlitz, and Start9 all include ElectrumX or Fulcrum as installable applications. If you already run one of these self-hosted node packages, your Electrum server is likely already running and waiting for a connection. The BlueWallet documentation covers the connection steps clearly. Once set up, BlueWallet queries only your node for all address data, indefinitely.
Four mobile Bitcoin wallets get recommended most often. Here is how they actually compare on the features that matter.
| Feature | BlueWallet (Free) | Phoenix Wallet (Free) | Muun (Free) | Green Wallet (Free) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Yes (self-hosted LNDhub) | Yes (self-custodial, auto) | Yes (submarine swaps) | No (on-chain only) |
| Coin control | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| PSBT / HW wallet | Yes | No | No | Yes (Jade) |
| Watch-only | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Multisig | Yes | No | No | Yes (2-of-3) |
| Payjoin | Yes | No | No | No |
| Custom Electrum | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Open source | Yes (MIT) | Yes (ACINQ) | Yes | Yes (Blockstream) |
| Best for | On-chain power users | Easy Lightning | Simple send/receive | Liquid + multisig |
BlueWallet is the right choice if you want a serious, feature-rich on-chain Bitcoin wallet on your phone at no cost. If coin control, PSBT, watch-only wallets, and payjoin are things you care about, BlueWallet is the only free mobile option that gives you all of them.
Node runners will find BlueWallet ideal as a mobile companion to their infrastructure. Connect it to your own Electrum server and your own LNDhub instance. Now you have a full-featured mobile wallet that queries only your own node, with Lightning powered by your own channels. That is a genuinely sovereign setup.
Hardware wallet users benefit from BlueWallet as a companion app. If you hold Bitcoin on a Coldcard or Keystone 3 Pro, BlueWallet lets you monitor balances and build transactions on mobile, with signing staying on the hardware device. That workflow requires no cables and works entirely through QR codes with the right hardware.
Privacy-focused Bitcoiners will appreciate the combination of coin control, custom Electrum server, Tor support, and payjoin. No other free mobile wallet offers this full stack of privacy tools.
If you are new to Bitcoin and want the simplest possible Lightning wallet, start with Phoenix Wallet. Come back to BlueWallet when you understand UTXOs and want more control. The two wallets complement each other: many experienced Bitcoiners run Phoenix for Lightning payments and BlueWallet for on-chain management.
BlueWallet earns an 8/10 for delivering a professional-grade on-chain Bitcoin wallet at no cost. The on-chain feature set is exceptional: coin control, PSBT, watch-only wallets, multisig vaults, payjoin, RBF, CPFP, batch transactions, custom Electrum server, and Tor support. No competing free mobile wallet comes close to this feature depth. The UI is polished and genuinely pleasant to use.
The two points it loses come from Lightning. Shutting down the hosted LNDhub node was understandable from a business perspective, but it removed the feature that made BlueWallet accessible to non-technical users. Lightning now requires running your own infrastructure. For most people who just want easy Lightning payments, that is a dealbreaker.
It also lacks a desktop app. Some users prefer a desktop interface for large transactions or complex coin control workflows. Sparrow Wallet fills that gap on desktop. Running both is actually a solid setup: Sparrow for detailed desktop work, BlueWallet for mobile access.
If you hold Bitcoin and want the best free mobile wallet for managing it properly, download BlueWallet. If you also want easy Lightning, add Phoenix. Together they cover every use case without spending a dollar.
Free, open-source, MIT license. Available on iOS and Android with no registration or KYC required.
BlueWallet is free software under the MIT license. No affiliate relationship. We recommend it because it earns the recommendation.
Yes, but with a major caveat. BlueWallet remains one of the best free, open-source mobile Bitcoin wallets for on-chain transactions. Coin control, PSBT support, watch-only wallets, multisig vaults, custom Electrum server, RBF, batch transactions: it checks every box for self-custodial on-chain Bitcoin management. The Lightning situation changed significantly in 2023 when BlueWallet shut down its hosted LNDHub node. If you want plug-and-play Lightning, look at Phoenix Wallet instead. If you run your own node or just need on-chain features, BlueWallet is excellent.
In February 2023, BlueWallet announced it was sunsetting its hosted custodial Lightning node (LNDHub.io). By April 30, 2023, the service shut down completely. Users could no longer create new Lightning wallets or refill existing ones through BlueWallet's default node. You can still use Lightning in BlueWallet, but only by connecting to your own self-hosted LNDHub instance running on Umbrel, BTCPay Server, or similar infrastructure.
Yes, but you need your own Lightning node. BlueWallet supports connecting to any self-hosted LNDHub instance. If you run an Umbrel node, a BTCPay Server, or any LND-based setup with LNDHub installed, you can link it to BlueWallet and send Lightning payments. The wallet also has early-stage work on ARK protocol integration, which could bring back simple Lightning-like payments without requiring your own node. But that feature is still in development.
Yes. BlueWallet is fully open-source under the MIT license. The entire codebase is published on GitHub. Anyone can audit the code, verify there are no backdoors, and confirm the wallet does exactly what it claims. Open source matters for a Bitcoin wallet because it means you do not have to trust the developer. The code speaks for itself.
Yes, through PSBT (Partially Signed Bitcoin Transactions). BlueWallet can create unsigned transactions that you export to a hardware wallet like Coldcard, Keystone, or SeedSigner for offline signing. You can also import watch-only wallets using an xpub to monitor your cold storage balance and prepare transactions without exposing private keys.
Coin control lets you choose which specific UTXOs (unspent transaction outputs) to use when building a transaction. Without coin control, the wallet picks automatically. With coin control, you decide which coins to spend, freeze, and label. This is critical for privacy because combining UTXOs from different sources links your transaction history. BlueWallet gives you full coin control. Most mobile wallets skip this entirely.
BlueWallet supports creating multisignature vaults directly in the app. You can set up m-of-n configurations (like 2-of-3) where multiple keys must sign a transaction before it broadcasts. The wallet uses PSBT to coordinate signing across multiple devices. For example, you could create a 2-of-3 vault with one key on BlueWallet, one on a Coldcard, and one on a SeedSigner.
BlueWallet is a hot wallet running on a phone. For large amounts, use it as a watch-only interface paired with a hardware wallet. Keep signing keys on a Coldcard, BitBox02, or similar device. Use BlueWallet to monitor balances and prepare transactions, then sign them offline. That gives you mobile convenience without mobile risk.
Yes. BlueWallet supports connecting through Tor to hide your IP address from the Electrum server. You can also connect to your own Electrum server over Tor for the strongest privacy setup: your own server, your own node, no third-party involvement at all.
For Lightning in 2026, Phoenix Wallet wins decisively. Phoenix runs a self-custodial Lightning node on your phone with automated channel management. BlueWallet requires your own LNDHub node. For on-chain Bitcoin management, BlueWallet is superior: better coin control, PSBT support, multisig, watch-only wallets, and custom server connectivity. Many Bitcoiners run Phoenix for Lightning and BlueWallet for on-chain.
Yes. BlueWallet lets you point to a custom Electrum server, which can be your own ElectrumX or Fulcrum instance. Your wallet queries go to your own node instead of a third-party server. Nobody else sees your addresses or balances. If you run Umbrel, myNode, RaspiBlitz, or Start9, setting up an Electrum server is straightforward.
BlueWallet has added initial Taproot support as of version 7.x. You can import single-address Taproot wallets from WIF, and broader Taproot support for signers and watch-only wallets is in active development. Full BIP86 HD Taproot wallet support is expected in future releases.
Replace-by-Fee lets you increase the fee on an unconfirmed transaction to speed up confirmation. BlueWallet supports RBF natively. You can also use CPFP (Child-Pays-For-Parent) to bump incoming transactions with low fees. These tools are essential during high mempool congestion.